President-elect Barak Obama nearly swept the year-round unbridged islands, winning everywhere except Swan’s Island. Statewide, Obama won with 421,497 votes to McCain’s 296,215.
Sen. John McCain won Swan’s Island by 134 to 105 votes. Obama won every other island, often by very large margins. The results in Casco Bay, were: Peaks Island: Obama 417, McCain 108; Great Diamond: Obama 31, McCain 16; Long Island: Obama 120, McCain 81; Chebeague Island: Obama 208, McCain 85; Cliff Island: Obama 23, McCain 11; Long Island.
The results on the midcoast islands were: Monhegan Island: Obama 61, McCain 11; Matinicus Island: Obama 36, McCain 22; Vinalhaven: Obama 550, McCain 191; North Haven: Obama 195, McCain 80; Islesboro: Obama 308, McCain 131.
The presidential results for the remaining islands were: Isle au Haut: Obama 43, McCain 6; Swan’s, Obama 105, McCain 134; Frenchboro: Obama 22, McCain 19; and the Cranberry Isles: Obama 109, McCain 40.
Sen. Susan Collins won the majority of the islands, although challenger Allen made a strong showing. Collins won: Cliff, Long, Great Diamond, Matinicus, Islesboro, Swan’s, Frenchboro and the Cranberry isles. Allen won: Isle au Haut, North Haven, Vinalhaven, Monhegan, Chebeague and Peaks islands. Collins won the race statewide 444, 618 votes to Allen’s 278,653.
North Haven resident Chellie Pingree, a Democrat, became the first resident from an unbridged island to serve in the U.S. Congress for Maine, defeating Charlie Summers, a Republican, 200,642 votes to 167,071. Pingree swept all the islands that are part of District 1: Peaks, Great Diamond, Long, Cliff, Chebeague, Monhegan, Matinicus, Vinalhaven, North Haven and Isle au Haut. In fact, Pingree won on islands that backed Republicans, such as Cliff, Long, Great Diamond and Matinicus, which all supported Sen. Collins.
Congressman Mike Michaud won all the islands in District 2 in his successful bid to keep his seat: Islesboro, Swan’s, Frenchboro and the Cranberry Isles. State wide, Michaud beat his challenger, John N. Frary 220,686 votes to 107,749.
The island results were mixed on Question 1, in which state voters successfully repealed a beverage tax to pay for the state Dirigo health insurance program, 459,453 to 254,660 votes. The majority of islands were in favor of repeal: Cliff, Long, Chebeague, Vinalhaven, Islesboro, Swan’s, Frenchboro and the Cranberry Isles. Those islands against repeal were: Peaks, Great Diamond, Monhegan, Matinicus, North Haven, Isle au Haut. But the results were quite close, for example Matinicus voted against repeal by just 1 vote (29 no, 28 yes) and Chebeague voted for repeal by just 3 votes (144 yes to 141 no).
All 15 islands were opposed to Question 2, which would have allowed a multi-million gambling complex to be built in Oxford County. Question 2 lost statewide 387,827 to 332,896 votes.
Only Cliff Island (19 no to 14 yes), Matinicus (34 no, 23 yes) and Swan’s Island (121 no, 108 yes) voted against Question 3, to support a bond issue for drinking water programs and the construction of wastewater treatment facilities. That question narrowly passed statewide 352,058 to 348,357 votes.
The three candidates for the Casco Bay Lines Island Transit District Board of Directors were unopposed. The directors elected are: Patrick Flynn, Peaks Island, 1032 votes; Scott Johnston, Little Diamond Island, 837 votes; and Matt Hoffner, Great Diamond Island, 845 votes.
Election results came from the Bangor Daily News, the clerk of the Town of Chebeague Island, the City of Portland City Clerk’s Office and the clerk of Casco Bay Lines.
-David A. Tyler